The skeptical audiophile

[soundofsilence]

Does anyone know anything about this website? https://ontherecord.co/

I am always looking for the best masterings when buying old cds or vinyls and I noticed this site. It seems curious because it always seems to praise original pressings, even those which were known to not be great, and always demonise 'audiophile' pressings and has also written negatively about Kevin Grey for example, the latter I am very surprised by and now skeptical of them since I find his masterings excellent.

Anyone know anything about the site? Should it be avoided? Any wisdom greatly appreciated!

 

[Snarfie]

Does anyone know anything about this website? https://ontherecord.co/

I am always looking for the best masterings when buying old cds or vinyls and I noticed this site. It seems curious because it always seems to praise original pressings, even those which were known to not be great, and always demonise 'audiophile' pressings and has also written negatively about Kevin Grey for example, the latter I am very surprised by and now skeptical of them since I find his masterings excellent.

Anyone know anything about the site? Should it be avoided? Any wisdom greatly appreciated!

Don't know this site but eventually you can listen for your self if the information is helpful. It can't hurt. I look sometimes on Steve Hoffman https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/thre...cally-improved-on-the-original-albums.981042/
So now an than you find a pearl but don't keep your breath

 

[JeremyFife]

Take one look at the prices and walk away!

It is certainly possible that one specific pressing sounds better than others, and there are definitely differences between masters ... but there is no way of telling if these guys have found either.

It's also just a fact that, compared with digital, vinyl is a flawed medium - low and high frequency roll-off and limited dynamic range, not to talk about increased noise levels.
There is simply no point in chasing vinyl 'perfection' as the medium itself is so limited.
Sometimes a nice master is good to listen to, especially if digital copies are overly compressed (loudness wars), but any clean copy of those releases will get you there.

These guys might be well meaning (I'll give them the benefit of the doubt) but there is no way of checking their claim and any benefits will be marginal at best - more likely they will simply be imaginary!!

I like vinyl, I still buy a little and I still listen to records occasionally - I wouldn't look once, let alone twice at this.

 

[Snarfie]

Take one look at the prices and walk away!

It is certainly possible that one specific pressing sounds better than others, and there are definitely differences between masters ... but there is no way of telling if these guys have found either.

It's also just a fact that, compared with digital, vinyl is a flawed medium - low and high frequency roll-off and limited dynamic range, not to talk about increased noise levels.
There is simply no point in chasing vinyl 'perfection' as the medium itself is so limited.
Sometimes a nice master is good to listen to, especially if digital copies are overly compressed (loudness wars), but any clean copy of those releases will get you there.

These guys might be well meaning (I'll give them the benefit of the doubt) but there is no way of checking their claim and any benefits will be marginal at best - more likely they will simply be imaginary!!

I like vinyl, I still buy a little and I still listen to records occasionally - I wouldn't look once, let alone twice at this.

For me it is more looking for recommendations why they think a certain album is great so read some info about Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure so i thought hm did not listen for years lets put it up how spacious it is on CD. Don't like Vinyl.

 

[DVDdoug]

I tend to be skeptical of anyone who claims to be an "audiophile" and who is also a vinyl and/or tube fan.

​

 

[Vincent Kars]

I tend to be skeptical of anyone who claims to be an "audiophile" and who is also a vinyl and/or tube fan.

Indeed, a skeptical audiophile is a perfect oxymoron

 

[JW001]

I tend to be skeptical of anyone who claims to be an "audiophile" and who is also a vinyl and/or tube fan.

​

I'm sceptical of anyone calling himself/herself an audiofile.

 

[soundofsilence]

Just to clarify my original post, it wasn't just a question of vinyl it was also about searching for great masterings in general.

As a side note: Ever since I listened to the Nirvana unplugged ORG vinyl I was 100% CD. I use quality equipment; Benchmark DAC, Ncore 400 amps and Kef Meta 6 speakers. The vinyl is mind blowingly good!!!

 

[Cbdb2]

Another nail in the vinyl coffin. What they say is true, every piece of plastic will sound different even from the same stamper. (they wear out) while every CD will sound identical. And the vinyl will wear out as you play it.

 

[ZolaIII]

Judging by the speakers they use a hard no!

Legacy Audio Focus 20/20 loudspeaker Measurements

Sidebar 4: Measurements At 185 lbs and 55" high, the Legacy Focus 20/20 was too bulky for me to lift into the air for the acoustic measurements, as I usually do. My speaker turntable therefore had to sit on the ground, which meant that the midrange resolution of the farfield measurements was...

www.stereophile.com

And super tweeters to it.

 

[Newman]

"My name is Tom Port and I and my staff of ten sell vintage records. These records can be found on our website, Better Records."

So:

• it's a web shop
• they sell vintage records
• their emphasis is on special vintage records

Doesn't that tell us enough? I wouldn't believe a word they say. Especially about relative sound quality.

 

[JeremyFife]

Just to clarify my original post, it wasn't just a question of vinyl it was also about searching for great masterings in general.

As a side note: Ever since I listened to the Nirvana unplugged ORG vinyl I was 100% CD. I use quality equipment; Benchmark DAC, Ncore 400 amps and Kef Meta 6 speakers. The vinyl is mind blowingly good!!!

Searching for 'good' masters is almost entirely subjective - give yourself over to the rabbit hole!
Discogs user reviews can help, Steve Hoffman's forum adds confusion but you can cross-reference comments.
Going for an original pressing is simplest (no guarantee) but gets expensive.

It's a wholly subjective exercise - fine if you take it as a hobby. You also have to accept massive cognitive bias - if you've paid 100s for a record your brain will convince you it sounds great (otherwise you were a fool, and you're not ...)

Realise that vinyl is for fun, not sound quality. If you must obsess about masters then collect original CDs

 

[Snarfie]

Only a 100,- up too 3.999,99 is more like it. MoFi Santana Abraxas limited vinyl version based on the digital DSD step/source. Looks like it does not suffer from a price collaps prices up too 3.999,99. However it is beyond me. I would be way more interested in the DSD source/file.


https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/9162101?sort=price,asc#other_versions_wrap

 

[Cbdb2]

Only a 100,- up too 3.999,99 is more like it. MoFi Santana Abraxas limited vinyl version based on the digital DSD step/source. Looks like it does not suffer from a price collaps prices up too 3.999,99. However it is beyond me. I would be way more interested in the DSD source/file.


https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/9162101?sort=price,asc#other_versions_wrap

View attachment 428218

The removal of the entire process reveals more musical detail and the complete removal of surface noise.

Has basic logic disappeared? Why would anyone not just want the original digital file?
Whats next, record the DSD to tape, than use the tape to make the vinyl?

 

[kemmler3D]

Has basic logic disappeared? Why would anyone not just want the original digital file?

Because the only way to get rid of the dreaded stair-steps and jitter is to imprint them on a piece of plastic, duh.

(I don't know either)

Hey, remember when the DSD step was secret and they claimed it was all analog, and for years the anti-digital people never once noticed it was digital until after it was revealed in the press? Good times.